


A Tale of Two Princes

by All_The_Legends_Are_True



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Babysitting, Bedtime Stories, Boys In Love, Couch Cuddles, Fluff, Kissing, Love, M/M, Malec are amazing Uncles, Plans For The Future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2019-04-21 03:36:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14276082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/All_The_Legends_Are_True/pseuds/All_The_Legends_Are_True
Summary: Madzie wants a different bedtime story tonight.





	A Tale of Two Princes

**Author's Note:**

> I finally finished the One-Shot I started over a month ago! Sorry it's taken so long, I've just been really busy.  
> Made for Yara, who asked me to make a concept I sent her into a One-Shot!

Magnus and Alec were babysitting Madzie for Catarina, whilst she was doing a night shift at the hospital. Alec had only arrived home 30 minutes ago after a long and stressful day at the institute, but his long day became worth it when he was greeted by his favourite little sorceress running into his arms whilst shouting his name, and by his boyfriend pecking him on the lips wearing an enormous grin on his face.

 

Magnus' attire was always very stylish - usually consisting of an expensive jacket, well-fitted shirt and fancy trousers. Today was no exception. A burgundy button-up shirt showed off his defined muscles perfectly and black jeans allowed the colour of his shirt to stand out more.

 

Madzie was in her favourite pyjamas - a gift from himself and Magnus. They bought her them after they noticed her undeniable love for unicorns. Alec had never seen anyone be so excited over a piece of clothing. The closest he had seen to this was when Izzy had treat herself to a pair of designer shoes by some guy called Jerry Shoo? It was something along the lines of that. He didn't care much for fashion but if it made her happy, then he was happy.

 

It was already pretty late, so it was almost Madzie's bedtime, but Alec had managed to convince Magnus to let her stay up a little longer, so that he could spend some time with her. It was almost 9pm when Magnus decided it was time for their niece to get some sleep.

 

"You want us to tuck you into bed?" Alec asked her, his voice quieter than usual from being so tired. He attempted to stand up but was halted by Magnus' hand against his chest.

 

"Darling, as much as Madzie would love you join me in tucking her into bed, I think you need sleep just as much as her." He said softly, before turning to his niece. "Wouldn't you agree, sweet pea?"

 

Madzie nodded in agreement and jumped onto Alec's lap to give him a hug before bed. The Nephilim wrapped his arms around her and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

 

"Goodnight Sweetie." He whispered as he let go of her. With a quiet yawn, she smiled and took hold of Magnus' hand. The older Warlock gave Alec a wink and led Madzie to the spare bedroom.

 

Alec took this time to lay himself down on the sofa and rest his eyes for a moment. A small smile tugged at his lips as he listened to the faint voices of Magnus and Madzie in the other room. He carefully grabbed hold of his stele and activated his hearing rune. The voices became clearer and he began listening to the two of them debating over bedtime stories.

 

"Okay Sweet Pea, what story would you like to hear tonight?" Magnus asked the younger warlock, who was brushing her teeth in the en-suite. "Cinderella? Beauty and the Beast?"

 

Madzie glanced over at her Uncle, who was holding up a selection of fairy tales. Her toothbrush was sticking out of her mouth like a lollypop, and a small trickle of toothpaste was falling from the corner of her mouth.

 

Magnus grinned slightly when he saw her appearance. Even his six-year-old niece made less mess when brushing her teeth than his twenty-four-year-old boyfriend, who somehow always managed to get toothpaste on the end of his nose and on his forehead. There was always a smidge of the spearmint paste still present on his pale skin when he eventually came into the bedroom. Magnus would usually chuckle and dab his finger with his tongue, before gently wiping it away like a nagging mother.

 

Madzie spat the toothpaste into the sink and washed her face, before bringing her finger up to her mouth, deep in thought. She jumped off her little stool that she would usually stand on, so she could reach the sink, and shook her head.

 

"All that thought, and you don't want any of them!?" Magnus asked in an amused tone. He was clearly pretending to be offended and Madzie could see right through him. She began giggling, causing Magnus to break character and laugh along with her.

 

He sat himself down on the rocking chair beside the bed and softly patted the mattress. Madzie understood what Magnus was gesturing for her to do, so she skipped across the bedroom and jumped into the king size bed, that made her look like she was staying with giants. In all fairness, with Alec as her Uncle, she might as well say she is staying with giants. She made herself comfy, and allowed Magnus to bring the cover over her and tuck her in.

 

"If you don't want any of these fairy tales, then what fairy-tale do you want to hear?" Magnus asked when he was finally satisfied that she was completely snug.

 

Madzie opened her mouth as if to respond, but quickly shut it. When she finally spoke, it was not what Magnus was expecting to hear. Instead of answering him, she ignored his question and asked a question of her own.

 

"Why are all these books about a Prince and a Princess?" There was a strong hint of curiosity in her tone and Magnus could tell that she genuinely wanted to know the answer to this.

 

"Well, that's because they're fairy tales. Not all books have a Prince and Princess, but most fairy tales do." He replied with a soft smile.

 

Madzie shook her head frantically and sat herself up on the bed. The silk sheets rippled as she moved, and Magnus sighed upon noticing that the effort he had put into tucking her in was extremely short-lived. "That's not what I mean, Uncle Mags." She told him.

 

Magnus gave her a confused look and leaned forward in the chair. "Oh, then what do you mean, Sweet Pea?"

 

"Why are they about a Prince and a Princess? Why aren't there any fairy tales about two Princesses or two Princes?"

 

Magnus' lips parted slightly in surprise. This was one of the last things he expected Madzie to say, but then again, she was quite intelligent for her age, so it wasn't that much of a surprise that she had noticed something like this.

 

She also had two Uncles who love each other very much, so frequently being around an LGBT+ couple, she must have wondered why they don't portray this kind of love in books.

 

He thought carefully about his answer. She was still very young and didn't understand society very well, meaning she probably didn't realize that not everyone is fully accepting of people in the LGBTQ+ community yet.

 

"Well... you see, Sweet Pea... Some people still don't understand that it's okay to love whoever you want." He began. Madzie looked at him, clearly concentrating on what he was telling her. He took a deep breath and continued. "Those people seem to think that boys should only fall in love with girls, which is why the Prince always falls in love with the Princess in fairy tales."

 

He finished his explanation, hoping that Madzie was able to understand. There was a small silence, as Madzie took in what Magnus had said. After a short while, she spoke.

 

"So, do people think that you and Uncle Alec shouldn't be in love... because you are both boys?" She asked sweetly.

 

Magnus sighed. "Some people think that, yes, but that doesn't stop us from loving each other."

 

A small smile tugged at his lips as he thought about how far he and Alec had come since their first kiss. Alec was closeted when he had met him - too afraid to come out because he knew the Clave's judgement would be extremely negative with them being against same-sex relationships as well as Nephilim and Downworlder relationships. Despite this, he ended up following his heart and choosing love over fear.

 

"Uncle Mags?" Madzie's voice interrupted his thoughts and he was brought back to reality.

 

"Yes, my dear?"

 

Madzie fidgeted with the sheets, fumbling around with them before saying what she wanted to say, "Do you think they will ever make a fairy-tale with a love like yours and Uncle Alec's?"

 

"You mean with two Princes rather than a Prince and Princess?" He asked for clarification. She nodded quickly, and Magnus shrugged.

 

"I'm not sure, Madzie, but I hope so." He told her before arching his eyebrow and leaning towards her. "Hang on, did you just say that the love that me and your Uncle Alec share is like a fairy-tale?" He added with a chuckle.

 

 Madzie grinned when she heard Magnus laugh. "Yep! Princes and Princesses love each other forever and ever and ever! You and Uncle Alec are just like them, so you are like a fairy tale!"

 

Magnus huffed out another laugh. Children came out with the most unusual concepts, but this one actually made sense. He knew he was going to love Alec for the rest of time, even though there would come a day where he wouldn't be here anymore - that day would be the worst day of his life. Magnus quickly threw that thought out of his mind, not wanting to imagine a world without Alexander. _His Alexander_.

 

Snapping out of his thoughts once again, he stood up and sat on the edge of the bed. "Okay, Madam, it's way past your bedtime, so decide which story you want." He said, gesturing for her to lay down once again. Once she did, he began re-tucking her in.

 

"Can you make one up?" She requested, and Magnus paused his actions for a second to look at her.

 

"Make one up? I can certainly try... but what story would you want?" He questioned, resuming his task.

 

"Can you... can you tell me the story of how you fell in love with Uncle Alec?" She answered before adding "And make it into a fairy tale like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty?"

 

Magnus laughed softly, touched by his niece’s entreaty. He finished tucking her in and placed himself back in the rocking chair. "I'm sure I can give it a good go." He replied.

 

He waved his hand, causing a flare of blue smoke to produce from his fingertips. The magic swirled around them and began creeping up the walls and eventually covering the ceiling. The smoke started to fade and once it had completely disappeared, it revealed that stars had appeared on the roof, and they were sparkling brightly. The stars glistened and acted like a night light for Madzie, who had a fear of the dark - he did this every time he looked after her.

 

With a snap of his fingers, the main light turned off, leaving the room dim. The stars projected patterns onto the walls, creating a beautiful scene. With another snap, the stars began changing colours, like mood lighting.

 

"Okay, I think that should do it." He said in a single exhale to himself, causing Madzie to nod in agreement. "Shall we start?"

 

"Yes!" She exclaimed enthusiastically. Magnus smiled at Madzie's excitement. He contemplated the best way to tell her this story - it was a complicated one to say the least. After a few seconds, he decided to approach in a vague, yet still accurate way.

 

“Okay, it all started when Prince Magnus first caught a glimpse of the very beautiful Prince Alexander. He had just used his amazing talent to save Prince Magnus from a bad person, who was trying to cause trouble. He was stunning from head to toe, and Prince Magnus was almost lost for words at the sight of him.

 

Prince Alexander turned out to be from a kingdom that didn't really see eye to eye with the kingdom Prince Magnus was from, which made it very difficult for the younger Prince to admit his feelings for the older Prince.

 

Prince Alexander even tried to hide his true feelings even more by planning to marry a woman who he did not love. Prince Magnus respected his decision, but that doesn't mean he agreed with it. He pleaded for Prince Alexander to reconsider, but his decision was made.

 

On Prince Alexander's wedding day, Prince Magnus decided to make one final attempt to change his mind. He showed up unannounced, catching the other off guard. Prince Magnus had not been in love for a very long time, and was not expecting Prince Alexander to choose him, however he surprised him." Magnus smiled as he recalled that day.

 

"How did he surprise him?" Madzie asked, intrigued.

 

"Well he didn't marry the woman, instead he walked over to Prince Magnus and kissed him, showing his whole kingdom who he was and how he truly felt.

 

Prince Alexander had chosen him, and Prince Magnus had no intention of letting him slip away.

 

As expected, not everybody agreed with their love, including Prince Alexander's own parents, but the important thing was that he had gained enough confidence to show who he really was.

 

Prince Alexander and Prince Magnus chose to ignore the judgement from the kingdom and focus on their love for each other. It was a long bumpy road but eventually they became confident in their relationship. They would hold hands in front of citizens of their kingdoms and they would kiss where they wanted, ignoring the glares from others. As well as this, staying at Prince Magnus' castle became habitual for Prince Alexander – he even called Prince Magnus’ castle _home._

 

Over time, people began to accept their love, the most surprising of which was from Prince Alexander's mother, Queen Maryse. She had very strong beliefs when it came to who her children should fall in love with, so when she finally gave them her blessing, it was a big shock to the two Princes."

 

"Uncle Mags," Madzie spoke, her voice slightly slurred, suggesting she was beginning to drift off to sleep.

 

"Yes, Sweet Pea?"

 

"Was everybody happy with their love in the end?" She asked. Her eyes were dropping but she was fighting the sleep - most likely because she wanted to hear the end of the story.

 

"Well, of course not _everyone_ accepted them, but they didn't need everyone's approval." He replied with a soft smile. Madzie returned the smile, her eyes almost fully closed now.

 

"S'good" she mumbled, finally giving in to her exhaustion.

 

The warlock stayed silent for a minute or two, making sure not to disturb Madzie as she dozed off. Satisfied that she was finally asleep, he quietly got up from the rocking chair and leaned down to softly press a kiss her to her temple.

 

"Sweet dreams, Madzie." He whispered.

 

***

 

Alec had listened to every word and was in total awe of the way that Madzie viewed his and Magnus' relationship. Giving her age, it didn't surprise him that she found their love similar to that of a couple from a fictional story, but at the same time, it was moving to know that she saw them as a perfect couple - like one out of a fairy tale.

 

He heard the bedroom door slide open, and he opened his eyes to see his boyfriend strolling towards him, smiling brightly.

 

"Nosey parker." He said, nodding towards the stele still in his hand. He collapsed onto the sofa, with his back against the Shadowhunter. Alec laughed and rolled his eyes playfully, before bringing his arms around him and kissing him just behind his ear.

 

"I love hearing you tell Madzie bedtime stories." Alec replied.

 

There was no lie in his response. Alec loved when he and Magnus looked after Madzie, because when they tucked her in, he would always tell her a story whilst she fell asleep. Usually, the story would be a regular children’s book, such as Snow White or The Little Mermaid. This was the first time he had heard Magnus make one up from scratch.

 

Magnus was amazing with kids and seeing him interact with Madzie made him imagine how much of an incredible father he could make one day. He knew it was silly to think Magnus would want to have children with a mortal, but the idea of starting a family with him one day always brought a smile to his face.

 

Magnus quirked an eyebrow. "So, you heard the tale of two princes then?" He asked with a smirk.

 

"I did, but I don't think you finished the story." The Nephilim responded, resting his head on Magnus' shoulder, and nuzzling into his neck.

 

Magnus chuckled softly, and it was a beautiful sound for Alec to hear. "Well first of all, our niece fell asleep, which was why I stopped." He began, "And second, there wasn't much left to add - not yet anyway, we still have a long way to go in our fairy tale."

 

Alec hummed. "How would you want our story to end?" He asked curiously, planting a small kiss to the skin he was snuggled into.

 

"I'd want us to live happily ever after, of course, Darling." The Warlock replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the universe.

 

Alec huffed out a small laugh. "Well yeah, I should hope you want a happy ending" He told his boyfriend sarcastically, "I meant what would your happily ever after with me be?"

 

Magnus turned his head so that he could make eye contact with Alec. This was a new subject of conversation. They had discussed Magnus' past, they had discussed the immortality issue, but what they hadn't yet talked about was their future, and what they would like to happen.

 

"Elaborate a bit more please, Sweetheart."

 

 "Well, where do you want us to be? You know, most couples tend to get married, have children and grow old together - but we're not like most couples. Would you want those things with me?" Alec asked before quickly adding, "I- I know you can't exactly _grow old_ with me, but would you want the other things?"

 

Magnus didn't even need to think about his answer, because he already knew what he wanted.

 

"Alexander, I would love to marry you and have a family with you one day. As for the growing old, I know it's tough because I can't age, but I know spells that can make me age like you, until-" Magnus sighed, unable to bring himself to finish his sentence.

 

"Until I die." Alec completed the sentence for him, with a sad smile. Magnus closed his eyes and nodded.

 

"You'd really make yourself age, so that we can grow old together?"

 

"Of course, I would! I love you, Alexander, and the chance at a relatively normal life with you- Well... I can't really think of anything better." Magnus replied instantly.

 

Alec's heart stuttered in his chest. "So, Prince Magnus and Prince Alexander will marry and become parents one day maybe?”

 

Magnus grinned and nodded. "Sounds about right. Their future consists of marriage, children and a whole lot of love making."

 

Alec's blush appeared almost instantly after hearing the last part. Magnus smirked even more, feeling triumphant in his attempt to embarrass his boyfriend.

 

"Maybe you should leave that final part out of the fairy tale, Mags." The Shadowhunter said in between giggles.

 

"Perhaps you're right." Magnus laughed out in response. His laugh was cut short when Alec's lips were suddenly against his own.

 

Magnus brought his hand up to gently hold Alec's face, caressing it with his thumb. Their kiss was soft, sweet and full of love.

 

They broke apart, only to catch their breaths. Their foreheads rested against each other as they looked into each other's eyes, laughing softly.

 

"I love you, Prince Alexander." Magnus said in a breathless whisper.

 

"And I love you, Prince Magnus."

 

_And they lived happily ever after._

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, feedback is really appreciated!


End file.
